1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disinfectant composition which can be safely and effectively utilized as a disinfectant, bactericide, fungicide, cold sterilizer, virucide and the like, and which in addition to being highly effective for the eradication of germs, viruses, fungus and bacteria in a variety of uses, is odorless, colorless, non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-flammable, and non-staining.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many different types of disinfectants, bactericides, fungicides, cold sterilizers and the like have been in use in a variety of industries, including the pharmaceutical and medical industries, for some time. Typically, these chemicals have been utilized as replacements to heat sterilization, radiation sterilization, or other less desirable techniques, in order to effectuate a more cost effective, convenient and/or presumably safer manner of eliminating potentially harmful germs, viruses, funguses and bacteria. Additionally, however, a prominent consideration has always been the strength or power of the chemical disinfectant as compared with other methods. Indeed, it is the general desirability for a more effective or powerful product which has, in some industries, resulted in effectiveness and cost outweighing safety. For this reason, very stringent guidelines are placed on all chemical disinfectant compositions and a user must take great care on the nature of the use to which a chemical disinfectant is being put.
As can be appreciated, a variety of different chemical composition and solutions have been provided in various industries, each solution claiming to have different and/or better qualities than other chemicals also available for the same purposes. Moreover, while each chemical does have certain beneficial attributes, typically, particular chemicals are tailored for particular industries based upon the nature and/or tolerances of the articles to be disinfected. For example, chemicals utilized for disinfecting floors and walls tend to be stronger and harsher than chemicals utilized for disinfecting surgical equipment, human or animal patients or even food products. As such, the present art lacks an effective chemical composition which is substantially effective for a multitude of cross over uses and in any of a variety of different industries wherein such disinfection or sterilization is needed, with little or no modification.
Despite the specialization of particular chemicals, a primary drawback associated with substantially all effective disinfectant or sterilization chemical formulations, and indeed a primary reason for lack of multi-purpose use ability, is the corrosive and/or toxic nature of the chemical compositions. For example, even though such concerns are not as significant when dealing with an industrial setting wherein machinery or floors must be cleaned or sterilized, the health of the workers that are charged with the disinfecting and sterilizing duty, as well as of the workers who must be present in a vicinity of the area that has just been cleaned, nevertheless make the toxic and corrosive nature of industrial cleaners a concern. Of course, in other industries wherein the articles to be cleaned are more sensitive or come into closer contact with a human, such as for the sterilization of surgical equipment and food products, any toxic or corrosive qualities exhibited by the chemical will render that chemical not useable for the particular tasks. Accordingly, even the presently available chemicals which are being marketed and utilized are either generally ineffective or are overly corrosive for complete safety. It is for those very reasons that other methods of cleaning and/or sterilization are constantly being sought. As such, there is a substantial need in the art for a non-toxic and non-corrosive chemical disinfectant/sterilizer which is highly effective and eliminates substantially all harmful germs, funguses, viruses and bacteria present in a treated article. Moreover, it would be highly beneficial to provide such a chemical composition which can be used topically on living human or animal patients without any harmful results to the patient, and can be utilized even on the most sensitive of articles, such as medical equipment including plastics, metals, glass, rubber, optics structures and the like.
It is also noted, that of the various disinfectant and sterilization chemicals presently available, a number of them implement a quaternary ammonium salt as a primary active ingredient in the chemical formulation. Such existing formulations, however, while seeking to benefit from the potential of the quaternary ammonium salt for eliminating germs, viruses, funguses and bacteria, have not been capable of providing a truly effective and safe chemical formulation that utilizes the beneficial aspects of the quaternary ammonium salt, but which also avoids the highly toxic and corrosive aspects thereof. Indeed, those in the art have sought to implement a wide variety of different formulations and chemical additives, however, the finished chemical products have proven to either be generally ineffective or remain substantially corrosive and toxic. For example, previously known or utilized diluents have generally rendered the product ineffective or have not eliminated its corrosivity or toxicity. Therefore such known quaternary ammonium salt based disinfectants and sterilizers have generally been limited to isolated industrial type uses.
As a result, it would be highly beneficial to provide an improved disinfectant and cold sterilizer which can utilize the bacteria, virus, fungus and germ killing effects of a quaternary ammonium salt, but which recognizes the specific benefits of utilizing a particular quaternary ammonium salt in a particular chemical formulation in order to achieve substantially unexpected and remarkably safe bacteria, virus, fungus and germ killing results in a safe, yet effective manner. Moreover, such a product, in addition to being safe, non-toxic, and non-corrosive should not compromise effectiveness in favor of that safety, non-corrosivity and non-toxicity. The disinfecting composition of the present invention achieves such a solution.
The present invention is directed towards a disinfectant composition to be utilized to disinfect or sterilize a variety of articles including surfaces, medical instruments and equipment, living human and animal patients, foods, plants, and contaminated fluid bodies.
Specifically, the present invention includes a disinfectant composition containing between 0.05% and 9% by volume of Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide as part of an initial base mixture. Moreover, the disinfectant composition further includes water which is substantially pure, substantially bacteria free and substantially ion free. Furthermore, the water has preferably been treated so as to be sufficiently pure, ion-free and bacteria free such that a relatively large volume of water is utilized to act as a diluent of the Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide and create a stable, safe and effective base mixture, without minerals or other impurities usually present in water adversely reacting with the Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide and reducing the effectiveness thereof and/or causing harmful characteristics to be exhibited thereby.
The pH of the pure water available for use in connection with the invention varies from one place to another. Therefore, depending on the pH of the water, there are two formulas, which provide alternate embodiments of the invention.
A first preferred disinfectant composition of the present invention is used when the pH of the water used in the composition is between about 7.0 and 8.8. Dimethyl benzyl lauryl ammonium bromide is added in the amount of 0.05 to 9.4 g. per 100 ml. of solution, and preferably 0.17 g. per 100 ml. of solution, increasing the pH to about 8.8 to 9.2. A strengthening additive, ammonium sulfate, is added, preferably in a solution of approximately 50 g. per 100 ml. of water (preferably the substantially pure, substantially de-ionized, substantially bacteria free water otherwise used in this invention), until the pH decreases to about 7.7 to 7.8. If desired, citric acid may then be added as a stabilizer to further reduce the pH to between about 6.8 and 7.2 (although additional ammonium sulfate solution may be added to achieve substantially the same pH adjustment).
A second preferred disinfectant composition of the present invention further includes a first, a second, and a third additive included therewith. The first additive is base structured to be added to the mixture of Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide and substantially pure, substantially de-ionized, substantially bacteria free water in order to adjust a pH level of the base mixture to between about 6.8 and 7.2.
The second additive, which is preferably ammonium sulfate in a quantity of less than 2% by volume, further defines a strengthening additive and is structured to be added to the base mixture, after the first stabilizer has been added to the base mixture and has adjusted the pH level thereof. The second additive is structured to increase a strength and effectiveness of Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, xe2x80x9cby volumexe2x80x9d with reference to solid additives and stabilizers means weight-volume (w-v) percent, that is, grams solute per 100 ml. of solution.
The third additive, which is preferably added after the first and second additives have been added and have taken effect, is structured to lower the pH level of the disinfectant composition back to between about 6.8 and 7.2. This provides a stabilized disinfecting composition having a pH level of between 6.8 and 7.2 which can be utilized directly for a variety of uses, such as pharmaceutical uses. Moreover, the base mixture, either with or without the stabilizers, can be combined with various other ingredients or carriers, such as color, fragrance, or viscosity adjusting compounds, without perturbance of the safety and effectiveness of the disinfectant composition in its final application.
It is also seen that the present invention is directed towards a method manufacturing a disinfecting composition. Specifically, the method of the preferred embodiment includes an initial step of purifying a quantity of water to at least a 98% purity level. Additionally, the water, either before or after, but preferably during, purification, is also de-ionized to be at least 98% ion free. Once the quantity of at least 98% pure, at least 98% de-ionized, and at least 98% bacteria free water is attained, it is mixed with a quantity of Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide to define a base mixture. Preferably, between 0.05% and 9% by volume of the Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide is provided in the base mixture, with the water preferably comprising the remaining amounts of the base mixture and thereby substantially diluting the Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide.
Next, a pH level of the base mixture is preferably measured and adjusted to a pH level of between approximately 6.8 and 7.2. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, this adjustment phase can include a series of distinct steps to arrive at that final pH level of between approximately 6.8 and 7.2. In particular, a first stabilizer is preferably added in sufficient quantity to the base mixture of Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide and substantially pure, substantially de-ionized, substantially bacteria free water in order to bring the pH level to between 6.8 ad 7.2. Subsequently, however, a second additive, preferably ammonium sulfate, is added to the base mixture. This second additive is preferably a strengthening additive structured to boost a strength and effectiveness of the Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide contained within the base mixture. Lastly, and especially in a pharmaceutical application, the pH level of the composition is preferably further adjusted by adding a stabilizer, back to a pH level between 6.8 and 7.2 so as to produce the effective disinfectant composition. Indeed, the disinfectant composition produced is structured such that it can be combined with other additives and carriers, such as coloring agents, fragrance additives, cleaning agents and the like, without losing its effectiveness for eliminating germs, viruses, funguses and bacteria, and without becoming toxic or corrosive, presuming of course that the further compositions added are not toxic or corrosive in and of themselves and do not adversely react with the Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a disinfecting composition which utilizes the beneficial effects of Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide in a highly effective, yet safe, non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-flammable, non-staining, colorless and odorless fashion.
A further object of the present invention is to produce a highly effective disinfectant composition which can be utilized as a cold sterilizer for a variety of articles such as surgical and clinical equipment (for example: scopes, rods, lenses, tubes, etc.), and which in addition to being highly effective is substantially non-corrosive or non-toxic.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a disinfecting composition which can be effectively utilized topically on living patients, such as animal or human patients, in order to disinfect a wound or other contaminated area.
Also an object of the present invention is to provide a disinfecting composition which can be effectively utilized to kill germs and bacteria on foods and plants prior to their being made available for public consumption, and which is substantially safe and non-toxic in addition to being highly effective.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a disinfecting composition which is capable of boosting the effects of Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide contained in a safe, non-toxic, non-corrosive composition.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disinfecting composition which utilizes Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide safety and effective, and which eliminates the reactivity of Dimethyl Benzyl Lauryl Ammonium Bromide with minerals and ions typically contained in a diluent such as water, thereby maintaining the effectiveness of the disinfectant composition despite its being substantially diluted into a non-toxic and non-corrosive composition.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a disinfecting composition which can be effectively utilized as a safe fungicide for human, veterinary and other applications.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disinfecting composition which can be effectively utilized to eliminate oil contaminants in a variety of applications, such as increasing the purity and effectiveness of fuel, cleaning pumps, drills and pipe lines, countering the toxic and harmful effects of oil spills, and the like.
An added object of the present invention is to provide a disinfecting composition which can be effectively utilized as a safe food preservative, contact lens cleaning solution, a safe cleaner, such as for art work, and an air or air conditioning system disinfectant.